The HM Government of Gibraltar has published an accident report into the death of a pumpman on board a motor tanker at the Port of Gibraltar due to a fatal mooring incident.
On the afternoon of the 20 May 2025, the pumpman of the Gibraltar Registered tanker Nisyros was fatally injured whilst operating the port forward mooring winch during heaving in excess rope becoming entrapped in the mooring rope around the winch and sadly died of multiple injuries.
At the time of the accident the pumpman was alone on the fo’c’sle as the AB (Deck) had moved to a position further down on the main deck port side in preparation to receive a heaving line which would then be attached to the forward spring.
As no one witnessed the accident it is difficult to reach a firm conclusion as to what exactly happened. However, the Mooring System Management Manual stipulates that there should always be a minimum of two experienced persons at each mooring station throughout the operation, apart from the Officer in charge of the mooring station. The role of the officer is to supervise and keep an overview of the mooring operation. On this occasion there was not an officer undertaking this role. In effect the only person on the fo’c’sle was the pumpman who was operating the Port forward mooring winch by himself, at the same time as possibly ensuring that the mooring rope was correctly feeding and winding onto the winch’s drum.
The investigation concluded that:
- The composition of the forward mooring party was not in compliance with the requirements of the mooring manual.
- Page 8 of the owner’s preliminary assessment of the incident states that, no officer was assigned to the mooring station forward in order to maintain compliance with hours of work and rest.
- The pumpman was operating the winch at the same time as ensuring that the mooring rope was possibly correctly feeding and winding on to the mooring winch’s drum.
- Due to repetitive nature of the work undertaken, the crew may have become complacent.
- It is possible that the mooring winch actuator lever had been incorrectly secured in the running position by using the safety clip or external device.
- At this time, he may have become entangled in the slack rope, in all likelihood by standing too close to the winch’s drum subsequently resulting in being dragged in feet first under the rotating drum.
MT Nisyros’s management company, MM Marine Inc, has undertaken their own internal investigation and have taken actions by reviewing the relevant SMS and Mooring System Management Plan and procedures. Safety flashes and safety alerts were issued to all fleet vessels. Fleet personnel were instructed to complete additional training on mooring risk assessments and management and safe mooring practices.
Safe mooring practices will be audited fleet wide to ensure compliance. Furthermore, current manning levels considering available cabin space capacity on each vessel was reviewed with the outcome of increasing the crew compliment by one officer and additional OS on Qingdao -type vessels and by one OS on Fujian-type vessels.
This report makes safety recommendations aimed at increasing crew awareness of the guidance on mooring operations, as set out in Section 26.3 of COSWP and in OCIMF Effective Mooring, and also emphasising the importance of adherence to the vessel’s operating procedures.
The Marine Accident Investigation Compliance Officer, Neil Atkinson MNM, said: “This tragic accident could have been avoided had the correct number of seafarers been stationed at the forward mooring station and that the correct procedures for mooring operations been followed. Furthermore, it is imperative that safety devices are not disabled or tampered with.”
Download the full report: HM Government of Gibraltar Nisyros